Pierre PoilievreConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and to the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Mr. Speaker, we are relying upon hundreds of years of parliamentary tradition that originates deep in the history of the British Westminster model of democracy, wherein ministers who are members of this House of Commons are responsible for the actions of their staff and their departments and answer on their behalf.

We are taking responsibility. We are upholding accountability and we are doing so right in front of these parliamentary committees. Leadership starts at the top.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's hand-picked president at Rights & Democracy has paid himself $57,000 for less than two months work. At that price, the Conservatives could have bought another fake lake, I suppose. However, in his short reign, the interim president wasted over half a million dollars to manage this self-induced crisis, hired a fellow board member and paid him off too.

Does the government still have confidence in this current board and these members after this massive waste of taxpayer dollars and this flaunting of accountability?

Mr. Speaker, as members know, Rights & Democracy is an arm's length organization. The government is not involved in the organization's day-to-day operations. The man in charge of the organization's day-to-day operations is Mr. Latulippe, and my hon. colleague did have the opportunity of asking him questions not very long ago.

This board is serving at the pleasure of the Prime Minister and its members are government's appointees. The message we are getting from the government is that if one is a friend of the Prime Minister, it is okay. It can ignore waste and mismanagement, no worries.

Money for human rights and democracy is what is being left out here. That money should be going for human rights development and ensuring we have accountability.

Where is the accountability? Where is the government's notion of the pleasure of the Prime Minister's service? Right now the board is flaunting that and the Prime Minister does not seem to care.

Mr. Speaker, I do not agree with my hon. colleague. Canada is leading the way in terms of defending human rights, and we do that on a daily basis. We have done it in Myanmar and in Afghanistan. We are doing it all around the world. We are standing up for human rights in Iran.

The young gentleman over on the other side should stand up with this government when we defend human rights around the world.

Mr. Speaker, former Liberal MP, Hec Clouthier, gave a scathing rebuke of the Liberal leader's decision to whip his party's vote on the long gun registry and said that the Liberal leader was forgetting about rural Canada. That is very divisive politics.

Justice ministers from Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Yukon have spoken out against the long gun registry, along with many police officers.

Why will the Liberal leader not allow his MPs to vote with the best interests of their constituents in mind and truly respect democracy?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his strong support of our efforts to scrap the wasteful and ineffective long gun registry.

Comments by the former Liberal MP, Hec Clouthier, go to show that not even members from his own party agree with the decision to whip the vote and ignore rural Canadians. It is more evidence that the Liberal leader is not in it for Canadians. Indeed, he is just in it for himself.

Mr. Speaker, National Chief Atleo of the Assembly of First Nations has renewed his call for firm action on education for first nations youth.

The typical first nations student receives $2,000 less in educational support than the Canadian average. This gap has serious consequences: lower educational attainment, lower employment levels and lost opportunities for first nations people, communities and the Canadian economy. The government's priority though is corporate tax breaks and fake lakes.

Where is the compassion and where is the action for the future of first nations education?

John DuncanConservativeParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Mr. Speaker, this government understands the importance of education, which is why we have taken action since coming to office to improve the outcomes for aboriginal students.

Since 2006, our government has invested $395 million, resulting in the completion of 94 school projects. Our economic action plan provided for ten new schools and two major renovations. The building Canada plan provides for eight new school projects. We have worked closely with British Columbia, Manitoba and New Brunswick and regional first nations. And budget 2010 provides for more.

Mr. Speaker, film and documentary producers must now register with ISAN Canada to be able to request funding from the new Canada Media Fund. The registration forms are only available in English, and producers are unable to get service in French if they phone ISAN Canada.

Can the minister tell us why French-speaking producers from Quebec, Acadia and the rest of Canada do not have the right to be served in French?

Mr. Speaker, helping out a neighbour in need is always a good idea but when the government pitched in to help protect U.S. beaches from the BP spill, it inadvertently exposed how badly prepared it was for a disaster here in Canada.

Here are the facts. The U.S. government made available more than 1,500 kilometres of boom for the cleanup. The Canadian government says that it has a total of six kilometres of boom stockpiled. This would be pathetic if the risks were not so great.

Does the oil-loving government have any plans whatsoever to boost our dangerously low supply?

Mr. Speaker, our government has demonstrated continued leadership in science, technology and innovation. From the Canada excellence research chairs and post-doctoral fellowships, to the Centre of Excellence for Commercialization of Research, this government is a world leader in attracting and retaining top researchers.

Gary GoodyearConservativeMinister of State (Science and Technology) (Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario)

Mr. Speaker, it brings me great pleasure to welcome internationally accomplished physicist, Stephen Hawking, to Canada. Professor Hawking has joined the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo as a distinguished research chair.

Our government is leading the pack when it comes to developing, attracting and retaining top researchers to Canada. It is our government's historic investments in science and technology that are attracting the world's most distinguished researchers. We are proud of creating a brain gain.

Mr. Speaker, as is the practice in the House, I would like to ask the government House leader about his plans in terms of government business for the next week.

I also have two very quick questions, the first one about Bill C-34 concerning the museum of immigration at Pier 21. The Liberals fully support the bill and are ready to expedite it immediately. I would like to know when the government intends to schedule the debate so we will see the bill passed at its earliest opportunity.

My second question concerns a report on the Order Paper and Notice Paper relating to Bill C-391, the long gun registry, which means that we could have a debate and a vote before summer recess. I would like to know if the government intends to take the necessary steps, working with you, Mr. Speaker, to ensure this happens.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague, the deputy House leader for the Official Opposition, for her questions.

When I get into addressing the issue of the upcoming government legislation that I intend to call, I will make reference to Bill C-34, which was her first additional question. The other question dealt with private member's Bill C-391 and the report that came back from the committee about that legislation. I am sure the member is well aware of the process of private members' business. It has nothing to do with the government business and therefore those negotiations and consultations will take place between yourself, Mr. Speaker, and the sponsor of that legislation.

We will continue today with the opposition motion. Tomorrow we will call Bill C-2, the Canada-Colombia free trade agreement, which is at third reading.

I would also like to designate pursuant to Standing Order 66(2) tomorrow as the day to complete the debate on the motion to concur in the third report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration.

I would also like to announce that on Monday we will be having a take note debate on the subject of the measures being taken to address the treatment of multiple sclerosis. I will be moving the appropriate motion at the end of my statement.

Pursuant to Standing Order 66(2) I would like to designate Tuesday, June 15, as the day to conclude debate on the motion to concur in the first report of the Standing Committee on International Trade.

Finally, I would like to designate Thursday, June 17, as the last allotted day.

At this time I will be making a number of motions and asking for the unanimous consent of the House for them, starting with the take note debate motion.